…State targets tomato processing, cold storage, irrigation and technology transfer

Gombe State is seeking Czech investment and technology to expand agro-processing and manufacturing, reduce post-harvest losses and create jobs, as it seeks to attract foreign businesses into its agricultural and industrial sectors.

The state is targeting investment in tomato processing, cold storage, irrigation, agricultural mechanisation and industrial technology, particularly from Czech companies with expertise in engineering and manufacturing.

Muhammad Magaji, Gombe State Commissioner for Finance and Economic Development, said the state’s agricultural potential, infrastructure development and security improvements offered opportunities for investors.

Magaji said Gombe accounts for an estimated 10 percent of Nigeria’s tomato production, while post-harvest losses across the country were estimated at about 50 percent of output.

He also cited tomato paste imports valued at approximately $100 million, saying the figures indicated opportunities for investment in local processing.

Investment in processing, cold storage, drying and packaging could help preserve produce, reduce losses during harvest seasons and strengthen local agricultural supply chains.

Magaji said road construction and improved transportation networks would connect farming communities to markets and processing facilities, reducing the cost of transporting agricultural produce.

He also identified the Gombe State Vigilante Service as part of efforts to improve security and provide a better operating environment for businesses.

Tomáš Výprachtický, Czech ambassador to Nigeria, said economic relations between both countries could be strengthened by combining Nigeria’s natural resources and human capital with Czech industrial and technological expertise.

He identified agriculture, energy, healthcare, security, manufacturing and technology as areas for cooperation, adding that Czech engineering and manufacturing capabilities could support Nigeria’s industrial development through investment, technology transfer and business partnerships.

“Nigeria has enormous resources and a mass of really motivated and extremely smart people. That’s something I really had a chance to discover in my tenure here,” he said.

The ambassador said his mission was to strengthen relations between the governments and private sectors of both countries and translate existing opportunities into business partnerships.

For Gombe, such partnerships could provide access to technology for agricultural production, processing and manufacturing, particularly in areas where inadequate storage and processing facilities limit the value farmers derive from their produce.

The investment discussions took place at an event organised by the Nigeria-Central Europe Chamber of Commerce (NCECC), in partnership with the Regional Trade Institute and the Embassy of the Czech Republic in Nigeria, in Abuja to mark the 2026 Czech National Day in Abuja.

The event, themed “Opportunities and Possibilities Between Nigeria and the Czech Republic”, brought together diplomats, government officials, investors and business leaders to discuss trade, investment and technology transfer.

Muhammadu Yahaya, Gombe State Governor, represented by his deputy, Manassah Jatau, said the state offered opportunities for investment, wealth creation and employment, particularly for its growing youth population.

He said partnerships could expand businesses, create jobs and improve residents’ livelihoods.

The governor also congratulated Jamilu Isyaku Gwamna, the All Progressives Congress governorship candidate in the state for the 2027 election, who was honoured at the event.

Yakubu Dogara, former Speaker of the House of Representatives and Chairman of the NCECC Advisory Council, described Gwamna as an experienced business leader whose professional background could contribute to Gombe’s development.

Gwamna, who is also a member of the chamber’s Advisory Council, said international partnerships could help the state attract investment in agriculture, manufacturing and technology.

He identified precision engineering, industrial technology and water-production systems as areas where Czech expertise could help address agricultural and industrial challenges in the state.

He said improvements in infrastructure, security and the business environment would be important in attracting investors, adding that partnerships should increase agricultural production, expand local processing and manufacturing, and create jobs.

“My own proposition is that I’m going to focus on job creation, especially for the youth and the women,” he said.

Gwamna said that, if elected governor, he would prioritise skills development, enterprise and women’s participation in economic activities.

Williams Kuria, Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Applied Sciences, Kachia, said Nigeria could benefit from the Czech Republic’s manufacturing capacity, research institutions and university system.

He identified computer science, artificial intelligence, precision engineering and applied research as potential areas for collaboration between Nigerian and Czech universities.

Kuria said technology transfer should go beyond importing equipment to developing local skills to operate, maintain and eventually manufacture industrial machinery.

He also cited technology that extracts water from atmospheric moisture as a possible response to water shortages and agricultural needs. He urged the chamber to facilitate academic exchanges, technical visits and partnerships between universities in both countries.

Abdulsalam Yahaya Ahmed, Executive Director, Operations, North East Development Commission, said investment in agriculture, infrastructure and processing facilities was important to economic development across the North-East.

He identified irrigation, logistics and processing facilities as key requirements for increasing agricultural production and supporting industrial activities in the region.

The programme also featured a documentary, “Gombe Today, Gombe Tomorrow: Opportunities and Possibilities”, which highlighted the state’s economic prospects and investment potential.

Although participants discussed areas for economic cooperation, no specific investment amount or signed investment agreement for Gombe State was announced at the event.

The state will need to translate the discussions into viable projects and partnerships capable of attracting investors and expanding its agro-processing and manufacturing sectors.